Librarians, Please Avert Your Eyes

When we came upon my now-favorite booth during our trip to the City-Wide Garage Sale, I think an audible gasp could have been heard from within our little shopping group. It was one of those booths that has something you want to buy in every square inch of space. I found a wonderful chippy side table exactly like I’ve been looking for, but the vendor wanted $50 and I wanted to pay more like $10. Thrifting has certainly spoiled me!

At the same booth, we came across a pair of simple, but stunning wreaths made from book pages. The vendor told me that she made them sitting in front of the television. That’s my kind of crafting.

I honestly don’t remember how much she wanted for these lovelies, but I think it was at least $40 a pop.

Yeah, um, that’s way too rich for my blood. How about I show you how to make my version of the same wreath for just $2? Librarians and book lovers, please avert your eyes.

Book Page Wreath Tutorial

Supplies:

10″ foam wreath ($1 at Dollar Tree)

Paperback novel ($1 at Dollar Tree – depending on the length of the book, you may need two)

Brown and/or gray craft paint

Glue gun & glue sticks

Small strip of ribbon

A few paper towels

A few straight pins (optional)

1. Assemble your cast of characters. I felt slightly guilty about purchasing an author’s work from the Dollar Tree for the sole purpose of ripping up. I read a few pages of Loving Charity just to make sure I wasn’t about to destroy a literary classic; let me assure you that I wasn’t.

You could definitely use vintage books, magazines or sheet music for this project or even select a book off of your own bookshelf that you don’t think you’ll read again.

2. Using the paper towels, I applied the brown paint to the edges of the book. I simply squirted some paint onto the towel and wiped it on the book. I painted the brown first and then applied a bit of gray. This will give your book pages a vintage look. To be honest, two colors aren’t completely necessary, so you can use just gray or just brown if you would like.

Lay the book on a clean paper towel for about 5 or 10 minutes to let the paint dry.

3. Cut or tear a page out of the book and roll it in a method of your choosing. I put together a video tutorial to show you some different ways to roll the page if you are interested in seeing how I did it. The main thing to remember is that you want to roll the paper and not actually fold or crease it.

4. After rolling the page, apply some glue at the end of the roll and glue it to the wreath. Make sure that the painted edges are facing up.

You will do this layer all the way around the wreath. When you have finished the full circle, flip the wreath over. That layer will become the bottom. If it won’t lay flat, put something heavy on top of it to flatten it out for a few minutes.

5. Continue rolling pages for your wreath. You will now fold a little tab on the bottom edge and apply glue only to that tab. Work your way from the bottom of the wreath up to the top, finishing one layer before moving to the next.

6. Once you get to the inside of the wreath, roll the paper and apply glue to the edge much like you did with the bottom layer. When you glue it on, the pages will be shorter than the wreath of the wreath. That’s okay.

7. At this point, your wreath will be mostly done, but there will be some sections you need to fill in. It should look roughly like this.

To fill in your spaces, you’ll simply roll a page, apply glue to the ends, and just stick it in the wreath. The filler pages don’t necessarily need to touch the styrofoam wreath; they can stick to the pages already glued to the wreath if need be. Use the filler pages to fill in holes and add some height and visual interest to your wreath.

8. After I was finished filling in, I flip your wreath over and glue your scrap of ribbon on the back to serve as a hanger. I stuck a few straight pins in it to make sure it held tight to the wreath, but that’s purely optional if you glue it on well.

All that’s left to do now is to find a spot to hang your new creation!

Who says that books can only be used to decorate bookshelves and tabletops? Try one on your wall!Added to Kimba’s DIY Day party over at A Soft Place to Land.

About Lindsay Ballard

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Jack and Duke). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.

AMAZING, I am so going to do this, and would you like to know why?? Because I am a BOOK LOVER, there are so many books at garage sales and thrift shops, not to mention the Dollar Tree, why not turn and unloved tattered book into BEAUTY, you will enjoy ALWAYS, thank you for sharing!!

Oh what a fun project, Lindsay! I would definitely try this! It kinda reminds me of those colorful tissue paper balls that we used to get at the fairs when I was a kid- so big and fluffy. Like you, I think the look of the B/W book pages- it gives the wreath character. Thanks for the tutorial. Need to go looking for some cheap ol' romance novels from my reading stash…🙂 Sue

This would be beautiful using what our churches sadly are discarding…a hymnal! Display the songs of our faith! In looking at my hymnals here at home, several already have color-edges (red and green). Old hymnals can be found at the Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. This would be a good project for a girls group at church as well. Perfect!

Love, love, love it! I'm an English major in college right now and am one day going to be an English teacher, but I still think this is great! I mean, books can be different forms of art, too! I can't wait to make one of my own!

What a fun idea! I just saw books at the dollars store the other day and thought there had to be something I could do with it! Now I know! I am filing this idea away at thecraftersfilebox.blogspot.com.

My goodness – I super love this – and I am a bibliophile from way back. I am headed to the Hobby Lobby today to pick up some other 'stuff' and have added the supplies needed for this. Thank you so much for the tutorial.

I AM a librarian, and I will be calling the library police on you! Just kidding…I love it. I'm going to have to make one myself. Now if you'd made it out of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, I might have been upset.

Yay! I saw the pic of these wreaths in the other post and was hoping you'd show us how to make them! LURVE! Can't wait to make a trip to Dollar Tree. May i ask is it better to get a larger book? or is that a standard romance novel size? 😛

I just love this idea ~ who would have thought making a wreath out of pages in a book ~ I guess I have to start ripping books apart ~ Also for the holidays you can put red & green paint on the edges and maybe even some stickles ~ Thanks so much for sharing this great wreath!

This looks so amazing, I cant wait to try it. It reminds me of a lighting fixture from pottery barn I saw recently. Theres something about pages of vintage books that are just lovely, even if they arent really vintage. Your secrets safe with us!

a fascinating use for an old book. brings to mind the time I visited an outhouse in Central Russia, and they had a copy of the Communist Manifesto NAILED to the wall (for you to tear pages out of in order to "take care of business" in lieu of toilet paper.) so many bad books….so little time!

I love it! You did a great job and were way more patient then I in figuring out how to make those. I looked at them a long time at that booth, but couldn't bring myself to pay $40 for pages ripped from a book. The hub has lots of sheet music, I might give it a try with that.

i am so glad that that you came back to teach us how to make this great wreath. i was reading the other comments and i had a great idea. i have a three yr. old granddaughter that has been destroying a page here and there from her books. this would be a really colorful wreath if you used kids books?! mine will be black and white!

The first thought that crossed my mind when you said you were making this wreath from a Dollar Tree book was,"It should be from a horrible romance novel." You did not disappoint. On book choice and in construction. Looks great!

This is too adorable for words!! And I love the cost! 🙂 What a fun idea…now to find the time to work on it. I am going to have to check out this City-wide Garage Sale soon! I live about an hour from Austin…it sounds like it is worth the drive!

Thanks for the tutorial! (BTW, I had to laugh at the comment about "imagining there were something fabulous" in that empty space. I was too busy oohing and ahhing over how gorgeous the rest of that nook was to even notice there was an empty space. You should see my house. Or maybe you shouldn't.

I am a total bibliophile so I was nervous about reading this tutorial but this: "I read a few pages of Loving Charity just to make sure I wasn't about to destroy a literary classic; let me assure you that I wasn't."

Made me laugh! Oh did it make me laugh.

It looks AWESOME and I have ruined books that I will be turning into this.

Great idea. I like the black and white look of the pages too. One thing you could do to add just a tad of color…for Christmas or to match decor…would be to use a different color paint to the ends, so it would mostly be black and white with just a hint of color…but it looks great this way too. Polly @ http://helpinglittlehands.blogspot.com/

Can't breathe…have to make one of those now!!! I wonder if my boss would mind if I started taking apart files and gluing the pages onto a wreath form I created out of a manilla folder. Hmmm, I'll probably have to tough it out 'til the weekend, eh? 🙂

love love love this idea! I collect old books and use the covers to make journals….so I have plenty of old pages. I have made wreaths using coffee filters. Also very cute. Well…of the the $1 store!!! Thank you for a wonderful idea.

You know I think would love fab in that empty space? I big dark brown or black, woven basket (think banana leaf). Awesome for the bottom of the stairs to hold/hide stuff that needs to go up the stairs, hats and mittens in the winter, etc. 🙂

Wow this looks great and I can think of so many places for one. I am thinking of trying 2 different sizes to see if it turns out. Anything we can do in front of the tube right! I am so glad I found your site. I am now following!

I mostly build stuff but with all these great DIY projects I think I am becoming a crafter! Thanks!

So cute! I wanted to share a little secret with you- if you go to the library and ask them if they have any books that you could take off their hands, they will gladly load you up with damaged/retired books that are destined for the trash. So, save a dollar, save a book! (That sounds like a cheesy bumper sticker, lol!)

I loved this so much I had to try it immediately! Instead of a book, I used sheet music that I picked up at a thrift store for less than a dollar. Since the sheet music was 9×11, I cut the pages in half. The sheet music I found was perfectly aged, but to add just a touch of color, I painted my edges silver. Over I love the effect and the wreath looks perfect over my grand piano. Thanks for the tutorial!

i did it! last night we had a ladies craft night and i brought my wreath, book, and gluegun and got to work. i do have to say that mine turned out great. (= you did a wonderful job explaining and giving tips. i plan to take the wreath to my husbands office at wotk, he could use some fun little extras on the walls. i bought three other wreaths so look out who knows what i will make next, any ideas.(=

Hahaha! I just jumped over here from Kimba…love the wreath and am cracking up at the book choice. I would be worried if anyone looked too closely, they might find a "heaving bosom" or "burning loins" phrase jump out at them. Hee! Seriously though, thanks for the tutorial!

I LOVE that you saw something you could make, and then you MADE it! I think "I could make that myself" ALL the time, but I either forget about it or just never get around to it. You have inspired me to get with the program on my crafting! Thanks! 🙂

I totally made one last night! I used a book from the Dollar Tree that had cream pages and a pretty font and it looks great! I'll email you pictures when I take some! I think I might be making this as a Christmas gift!

i actually made one last night! i saw this post yesterday and was immediately hooked. i bought the supplies and did it at my kitchen table last night. mine is not nearly as fluffy as yours – and i much prefer yours. but mine is a decent start. i found that unless i rolled/folded the paper in cones, it was awfully hard to stick and hold to the styrofoam wreath. but it's your big, broad "folds" that gives your wreath the fluff. maybe i just needed to use more glue? how did you get those big, fluffy pieces to stay firmly to your wreath?love your site. found it from apartmenttherapy.com. i'm a new addict!lisa

I Love this idea…I am thinking a book with gilded pages or maybe gold paint instead of brown or gray for christmas. My husband feels it is his duty to promptly break the binding of any book he reads now I have a use for them…

Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes! Finally a solution to all the books that haven't moved off my Bookmooch account and are still cluttering up my apartment! I wonder how it would look with green or red paint on the edges – I may not have to purchase a holiday wreath for my front door. This is perfect, Lindsay, thanks!

ooh, great idea! i see mine from hymnal pages, with gold ink on the edges to go with my Christmas decorations.last year i made a wreath from my father's old atlas. i cut some squares in slightly different sizes, and rolled them into cone shapes, and hot glued them to a wreath form i cut from cardboard. they're very pretty with all the colors the maps have:Dkudzu

Hi – I'm new here. I wanted to tell you how much I like the book page wreath. It has such an understated elegance about it. I think it's the perfect wreath FOR book lovers & librarians! I'm going to try my hand at this. I'll be sure to let you know how mine turns out. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas.

Love, love, LOVE this wreath! Can't wait to make it!!!! I'm thinking of also trying this out with a mixture of "antiqued" old book and a smattering of Christmas papers (either scrapbook paper or maybe left over wrapping paper(or both).

I JUST finished making this — except my wreath was SO BIG that it took me 5 hours! And my fingers are nearly burned off from the hot glue gun! But it looks fantastic, and even my husband loves it. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

THAT IS SO CUTE… IT WOULD BE DARLING IN A LIBRARY OR STUDY! IN THAT OPEN SPACE… A CUTE FLOOR PLANT IN A FAB. URN/ VASE WOULD BE GREAT! A SMALL ONE, so it wouldn't cover your story book wreath! GREAT JOB 😉

Lindsay, this is my first introduction to your site, and I love it! I'll be a regular from now on. I decided to wait until I'd actually tried your wreath to comment. Well, I did it, it was easy, I love it, and I'm going to show a couple of friends how to do it today! Thanks so much. My version is on my blog.

Love this idea! Anyone who is interested in this should check out the "Anthropologie" store in Georgetown. I was just there this weekend and the theme is recycled book art. There is a seven foot tall ostrich made entirely from recycled books! It is amazing. Truly inspirational! I overheard a staff member telling a customer that artists come in at night and work through the night creating the art…Check it out if you can!

I didnt have a glue gun so I didnt think to make this project. well, since it is EVERYWHERE i broke down and got one (i am a newby crafter, used to just be scarpbooks, no glue gun needed) i got a dual temp one as to avoid the dreaded burns and I have to say, i also did it while watching tv and am over half done! great work and youve got my vote 🙂

I just wanted to let you know that you inspired me to make a book page wreath. It's not exactly like yours, but something about those pages is really striking!!Take a look–www.heartstringsnpreciousthings.blogspot.com

Lindsay, your tutorial was fantastic – just the right amount of detail, explanation and images to show me how to tackle this paper beast, um, wreath. I actually just completed the wreath. While trying to remain humble, I have to say, it looks stunning and I'm a bit impressed with my glue gun skills. Also, since I'll be using the wreath for a huge holiday decor project at a local cafe and art gallery, I had to go with a wider, 13" diameter wreath. From coloring the paperback novels to adding the ribbon to hang that baby, it took me 6 hours total. 🙂A few things that have simplified the process for me:– I stapled the twisted paper rolls in bulk first.– Then, started gluing them to the styrofoam wreath one by one.– I used pins to make sure the inside paper rolls really stay stuck.– I added some satin ribbon on the inside of the wreath to cover the pins.– I've posted my photos on my Facebook page.

Thanks for sharing this great project with all of us. I don't know if you ever use Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive but it dries in less than a minute. I decided to use it on the rolling and glueing of the book pages. It works great and less burning of the fingers. I also use clothes pins to hold them temporarily in place, where I can, till dry. I think the glue gun will be better for attaching them to the wreath though.

I ♥ this and so I had to give it a go….and made a couple and now on the third….I just posted a really bad pic on my blog…it was too dark and forgot to take another picture of the other wreath I finished before I gave it away…thank you for all of your ideas and for your willingness to share them…..you are so very talented….

I LOVE this project! It looks great 🙂 I would probably use newspapers though, because I can not tear a book apart, no matter how bad the story was… We are in the middle of Advent, the color beeing lilac, so I think I´ll make one with lilac accents to hang on the door!! 🙂

Hi Lindsay! I made your wreath, with slight variations (glitter) and just love the results. Thank you so much for sharing the tutorial. It's really, really beautiful. Mine turned out so pretty too, and I just love how it coordinates with all my vintage silver Christmas ornaments.

I made this wreath, but instead of using a an empty circle, I glued the pages to one of those cheap round clocks you can get for 3 bucks at walmart/target around back to school time. I just didn't glue as many pages toward the center, so you could still see the clock face. I LOVE it. Thanks for the inspiration!

I loved this so much i tried it the next day after seeing it and about ten minutes ago i finished it. It is definately not the same as your tutorial said, but it did wonders for my recycling – so thanks for the brilliant idea and as a librarian – i can say: we are not that hysterical about cutting and ripping up books that are no longer in use 🙂

My friend sent me this website and I checked it out, got so excited, so I made one right away. It is so easy and fun…………..I didn't have a styrofoam wreath form so I made one by cutting a circle of cardboard, wrapped walmart bags around it, and then wrapped making tape around it until it was a nice firm circle. Then proceded to make the wreath. It came out great.And so far I've gotten a lot of good feedback on it. Thanks so much for the super idea.Ellenperryellenstevens@yahoo.com

I was in a creative rut when I found this post. I just knew I had to make this. I had trouble finding the right kind of styrofoam wreath, but when I did, I got right to work and my oh my! I love how it turned out! I ended up using a 12 inch base, as that's all I could find, and it ended up being big and fluffy. Your video tute was most helpful and is what made mine a success. Thanks so much for sharing!

Thank you so much for these beautiful wreaths! I was so inspired by your creativity, that I used them as the theme to our annual Holiday Party! I made 3 large wreaths, centered them on the cocktail tables and placed a large candle in the middle of each one.I went a little crazy and made 3 trees in the same way and placed them on the food table. I continued with the black and white theme throughout the house.

I can't figure out a way to send you the pictures, so I posted them on our website to check out:

I adore the wreath! …and it's so easy to make! One suggestion is that I tied a bit of ribbon around the foam wreath BEFORE I started attaching the pages, which made it more secure to hang when I was done.

I made mine out of an old book with BIG pages, probably made it too dense and as a result it is HUGE and MENACING! You can't even tell what it is supposed to be from a few feet away! It's like a giant paper bush growing on the wall. Hahaha, it cracks me up every time I see it. Oh well, I'll try again with smaller pages next time. 🙂

I am going to make some of these…I saw a couple in a magzine and wanted one and I know they would sell well out of our booth…I might use sheet music cause I bought a box of it at an auction for $2…THANKS for the how-to tutorials…you ROCK.

Perfect little project and I think I'll change it just a bit… with Valentine's coming I'll use a heart shaped form and I know the local Animal Protection Society has their book sale going on right now so I'll pop in there, pick out a less than fortunate publication and give a little back to the saving of animals at the same time!Thanks.Susan

I just saw the wreath over at the Sevin Family blog…she made a beautiful one and sent us over here. I am in L-O-V-E with that wreath. Great tutorial. I think I am in L-O-V-E with your blog too! Great idea.

I saw a wreath just like this at an antique market for $40 today and gasped just like you did. I bought a couple of old books at the same market and went right next door to Hobby Lobby to get a styrofoam wreath. I knew a handy crafter such as yourself would have some directions for me online–thanks so much, I can't wait to get started!

This is such a great and beautiful idea! I found an inexpensive wreath form and an old biology text book at the thrift store for pocket change. I went to work this past rainy weekend and love how it turned out…although it is slightly larger than it should be to fit properly between door and screen door, oops 🙂 I added some stone beadwork and a little birdie, only b/c i have a foundness for them, it’s really pretty all on its own. Thank you so much for posting the tutorial and a thank you to katydidandkid for posting the link to you 🙂

LOVE this project, and I’m a librarian! Funny thing is that librarians have no problem with things like because we try so hard to get rid of tons of books that NOBODY reads! I’m passing this along to my librarian friends! Thanks!

I’m a book addict. I have a hard time getting rid of books even when I should. So, this hurt my feelings just a bit. 😉 But, it is so cute!! I will definitely have to make one for our book room…just not sure which book I can defile in this way….

Despite being a librarian … I love this idea! So often I feel guilty when books Are just chucked away… Let’s recycle those out of date manuals or dreary guidebooks relics of pre Internet now full of misinformation. Thankyou

I love this idea, it’s super cute. But my personal opinion is that it looks a little bit too fluffy for me, I’d prefer one with like half that amount of pages. Do you think it would work toned down some?

I love this! I bought the stuff to try this and mine did not turn out AT ALL. 🙁 I don’t think I rolled my papers right. I even watched the youtube video. I am just craft challenged. I will be trying it again soon, though.

I am making this wreath for an upcoming photoshoot and found this link to your blog. LOVE yours!!! Beautiful space you have placed it in too. I am an Interior Designer and I wanted to make a suggestion if I may. You said to pretend there is something fab in that empty space next to your desk….why not put the desk on an angle? It would make the space seem more filled….you could add a great chair or stool too…a FAB one perhaps with layers of fabric for body. Anyway. Not trying to take away from your space but I thought I’d throw out that suggestion. You could leave the wreath in the same spot and it would be perfect still 🙂 Big hugs!

Just like most everyone else who saw this post, I made one too! I just finished tonight! It is posted to my blog for all to see, and I also linked to your blog! Thanks for this idea– it is SO gorgeous!!

I am an English teacher and I’ve been looking for something lovely to make for my Secret Pal in the English department and THIS is PERFECT. I’m going to paint the styrofoam black, and use a gold edging on the pages of a classic novel (a beat up old one, of course) and a wider ribbon/bow.

I’m TOTALLY making this ~ was looking for a Christmassy one on etsy for my office in, yepppppp A LIBRARY 😉 but now I’m thinking I could do this?! I have a lonely cart of weeded books in here as I type…but I’ll avert my eyes just the same as I tear!

Oh gosh!!! I cannot imagine which book I could “kill” to do this kind of magic!!! But I’d really like to! I guess I’ll link you soon on my blog, hope you don’t mind!! Thanks for sharing your genial ideas! Laura@RicevereconStile

Reminds me of the tissue paper art we used to make in elementary school. I just got my new phone book, so I have tons of pages in the old one to experiment. Really want to avoid the styrofoam form though and see if I can make the entire thing recycled/able, but haven’t thought of a good hack yet… still working on that one.

What a great idea! I like the tableau you created with the monogrammed table and silhouette cutouts. If you really have nothing in your big empty space in the last picture, consider putting a large potted plant or just a big empty basket or planter. You already have fabulous things, so you don’t need another statement maker.

Here is my book wreath. I bought a larger foam wreath and used nearly 2 whole books on this project. It took me much longer than a couple of hours as I wanted it to be just perfect. My fingertips are happy that it is now complete.

I LOVE THIS. So far the only thing I have is an old text book from the 50s (great aged color to the pages) and have to find the darn wreath form. In the meantime, last night I decided to experiment with the suggestion to color the edges of the paper. Since I (also) don’t have craft paint, I tested a stack of the pages with a crazy idea that worked beautifully: I took my favorite deep red nail polish, poured a dab onto a paper towel and smudged it a bit so it wouldn’t go on thick, and quickly — to avoid the polish drying — rubbed the towel against the outside edge of the stack of pages. The result: a most subtle but visible hint of red along the outer edges! Since it was an experiment I started with a light layer to make sure the pages didn’t stick , applied more as needed, and the result was better than I imagined! Success! Now it’s on to find the wreath form…

Just made this! LOVE IT! I used pins, don’t have hot glue… I had to pull a bunch out and start over, so I’m glad I didn’t use glue! Wasn’t filling it in enough. Used a 12 inch wreath and now it’s about 2 feet wide! Looks GREAT in our bedroom! THANKS!!!!

My Mother always repeated certain morals to us as children and “Don’t deface books” was one of them, so torn and abused books always make me wince. But I think I can say I am old enough to decide which books it is ok to upcycle. Great tut thank you

Thanks for this idea! I’m making some wreaths for Christmas presents this year. I’m going to be using old hymnals for some people, as they are musically inclined, but will use the books for others. Thanks again!

Thanks for the great instructions. I saw this on the Rit Dye fb page and ran right out and bought a foam wreath ring. I painted half the book page edges red, the other half green for a little Christmas vibe. Turned out very subtle and beautiful. Now just trying to decide who to gift it too…

Thanks so much for the instructions, I had the perfect book to make this with as it was already falling apart. Turned out a little bit less “scrunched in” than yours, but I think everyone making these will end up with a specially unique wreath! Brilliant idea, thank you for the instructions.

My only warning to those doing this project is that you might not realize how BIG the finished product will be. It will probably double the width of the form you start with, plus it will have great depth and volume. Don’t design it for a tight space 🙂

Thank you for the great instructions, can’t wait to start project ! I came across the paper book wreath in an Australian home magazine, as I live in Melbourne, Australia,there is an australian store that sells the wreath for $250 AUD !!!! They are specialised in paper products (papier d’amour). I desperately wanted one but could not afford to spend that much. I’m a bit of a paper and craft-a-holic,so now I can make my own. Again thanks !

Thank you for showing how to do this. I am a visual learner and unless somebody holds my hand, forget it. Looks great! Can’t wait to tear apart that book. I hate to read anyway! Unless it is a decorating book.

The is perfect! I bought an entire box of antique magazines that someone had just found in their attic a while back. At the bottom of the box was a book that no longer had the cover and all that was binding it was a few loose pieces of string. My husband has been on me to get rid of it because it was missing a bunch of pages and we cannot even tell what book it is. I could tell that someone used to really care about it so I couldn’t get rid of it. This will be the perfect way to celebrate this book! Thank you!

Just made this using a 70’s Better Homes & Garden cookbook I bought for 75 cents! It didn’t come out as “fluffy” as yours but it looks great in my kitchen. Because the paper wasn’t as thin as a paperback, it isn’t as filled in, so my mom gave me the great idea of hanging cookie cutters down the center of the wreath to give it more depth. Think I’m going to do that. It looks great & I can’t wait to do a 2nd one with a paper back novel. Thanks!! ♥

i love this idea! thanks for the detailed tutorial. i just made mine last night, and was so happy with how quick it went, that i’ll have to make a few more for gifts! the practice one is mine, of course.

Even though I saw this project last year I am just making my first one. I wanted to have something really meaningful on the pages in case someone actually read some of it. I finally found a paperback of hymns for 1.99 at the Goodwill and am having a great time with it. It’s turning out so well and is easy to do. Thanks for sharing this project.

Thank you so much Lindsay! My husband and I made this for our new house that we are moving into at the end of this month! I am also going to make a small one that I can put by it! I cant wait to show these off to people and tell them that I got this idea from your blog!!

I just finished mine! It’s really cool! I luckily bought a big fairytale book which I wanted to turn into a bookpurse so I didn’t know what to do with the pages, so thanks for the project! ^^ I’ll be blogging about it in a few days.

Stumbled Upon this post last night. 24 hours later I have become a full-on book destroyer – and love my story wreath. I also used the 12 inch foam wreath, so it’s a big ginormous, but beauteous nonetheless.

Also, hat tip to the author whose book was dismantled in the name of crafting. Although destruction of books is somewhat taboo, I like to think the author would be pleased that his work ended up on my wall instead of sitting on the shelves of the local Dollar Tree.

As a librarain, I WANT ONE OF THESE WREATHES!!!! School starts back very soon but this would be a great addition to our library! Also, this would be my 3rd wreath this summer! I definitely have an answer to “what did you do this summer?”

This is such a fabulous idea! You could do this with pretty much anything! I have tons of books and left over papers lying around! I cannot wait to make one (or two, or three…)!!! Thanks so much for sharing!

I have had this link saved for a year! I finally did it and I love it! Mine is a housewarming gift for my in-laws but I will be making these for wedding gifts in the coming year. Thank you so much for sharing and being so detailed. 😀

I found this about a year ago while I was cooking up ideas for my own book wreath. I used a different rolling method (I think someone else called them “cigarettes” and “bugles” – skinny tubes and conical shapes – with wavy pages loosely interspersed) but same basic assembly. Your method is probably better; using full pages rolled into such compact shapes, my finished wreath was about two feet wide and took 15 or so hours to complete! However, as I had used two Harry Potter books (library discards, please don’t cry!), I added some red and gold ribbon, attached a gold glass ornament turned into a Quidditch snitch, and won a book upcycling contest!

I used your tutorial to make book page puffs (not sure what else to call them). I used a styrofoam ball the size of a softball instead of a wreath. They will be the centerpieces for my wedding. I painted the page edges with the colors of the wedding for a subtle hint of color. I am super excited to have found your post, they really are easy to make and are quite impressive looking.

Ohh – what a great idea! Do you have any pictures? I don’t see a link to your blog. Me, I’m blogless at the moment – I keep too busy reading all of these other talented folks to start my own! Plus, it can be pretty intimidating for a newbie like me…. 🙂

I know a lot of people feel guilty about destroying a book (but the wreaths are so beautiful!) I just had a thought – I wonder what using an old phone book would look like? Do you think the pages would be too thin? I haven’t made one of these gorgeous wreaths yet. I have all my tools – including the books! Just wondering what y’all thought about the phone book idea….. Love your blog btw! 🙂

Wow your design is stunning and the tutorial is very helpful! I had a go at this, but instead of making it as a wreath i made it into a skirt for a competition. http://www.ngfoto.com/portfolio_images.php?catid=563# <mine is the bottom row in the middle. I used rolls of colured paper and old brochures, it was all attached to a large piece of paper. It came out amazingly (in my opinion at least). Thank you soooooo much!

I fell in love with your post and made this myself about 6 months ago. Since then I’ve received so many complements as people walk through my home so I recently started referring people to your page via my blog. A big thanks from me and many others, for such a wonderful idea!!

I have just started blogging (whew heww I’m up to 38 followers-sad I know). I look at your site frequently and follow your blog. To generate some traffic I made a book wreath for a give away on Nov. 15.

LOVE this wreath! Gorgeous and sophisticated… To be featured on our blog for sure 🙂

DIY Holiday Wreaths avatar November 25, 2011 Kalei

‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa-la-la-la-la-la! It’s officially time to start holiday decorating, and we’d love to see some unique ideas this year! Sure the reliable wreath is a gorgeous addition to your front door, but why not make your own? Get inspired from these creative DIY wreaths we found from all over the place, and create your own masterpiece this year! No matter what holiday you celebrate, this is a great way to bring that jolly spirit to your home. Your neighbors will be dying to know your secret, and you’ll have a unique door that’s easy to point out to visiting friends and family. With all these quirky tricks, you’re sure to find a wreath that fits your personality and matches your decor– so keep reading for a lesson on creating our favorite holiday wreaths!

This first wreath we found on GoodHousekeeping with a unique look that’s hard not to love! It’s bright colors and unexpected quirks make it a great addition to any fun household full of holiday laughs!

Deck the halls with this creative and gorgeous wreath from Living With Lindsay!

Made from book pages, be sure to hide this one from the book worm in the house… The guide has great step-by-step instructions and a video that will help you create this masterpiece in your own house! We love this look for those more sophisticated holiday homes.

Check out a DIY guide for this amazing wreath from StoneGable!

Although this bold wreath may shock you at first, it puts an edgy twist on the classic Fall wreath! We love the use of warm colors for homes with a classic red/brown theme, and the autumn look of this craft. You’ll catch the eye of anyone passing by, and it’s sure to warm up this icy season! Last but not least, for an eye catching wreath full of fuzzy pom poms, check out this DIY guide at Nature’s Heirloom!

We love that they thought far outside of the box and created door decor out of these crafty little pom poms! If you want a vibrant and warm look to your home this season, try out this wreath!

If you create any of these gorgeous wreaths, let us know on our Facebook page and post a picture! Leave us a comment below which one was your favorite, or which you’ll try. Happy holidays!

My children have completely worn out their Harry Potter books – they are coming apart in pieces! I’m so excited to have a use for all those pages I keep finding! And what a great way to remember how much they LOVE reading those books. THANKS!!

I love love love this idea!!! I have this huge blank wall next to my (big, huge) TV and I’ve been searching and searching for something to fill it in with – this will be perfect because I have books scattered all across my living room! I love decorating with books and now I found a new way to do it!

I am a librarian and I love book wreaths and other book art. I think most librarians do. I’m creating signs for my library made out of discarded books. We probably destroy more books than anyone when we clear out the old damaged books.

I work in a library and we are constantly weeding old books from the collection. If you don’t want to purchase a book, ask at your local library…they would be willing to give you some books if they are in the middle of weeding! Some old school librarians may give you a dirty look if you tell them it’s for crafting, but for us, it’s a blessing…these books aren’t all classics either.

Thank you so much for this! Great instructions and pics! Ice been wanting to do a wreath in this style but all I could find were rolled wreath instructions. Then I *finally* stumbled upon yours. Thanks again!

About a week ago I was wandering through a booth show, and a pair of wings made out of book pages caught my eye. I was very tempted until the woman told me she wanted $75 for them (even then, I almost emptied out my wallet as they were beautiful). But I think that I can modify this tutorial to help me figure those wings out! Thanks so much for sharing your genius!

I made mine today! I have been wanting to find the time to do this for a while now. It was very inexpensive. I did have to buy all materials because I am just now getting crafty. This has never been a hobby of mine and I have never been very good at it. I think I spent $20 in all and it only took a couple of hours to make. I bought Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen because she is one of my favorite writers. Half Price Books always has good SuperBuy books. It was incredibly easy! My rolls are tighter so the effect is a little different. I hope this is a conversation piece. Maybe I will make some as gifts.

So cool – thanks for sharing! My fav line “I read a few pages of Loving Charity just to make sure I wasn’t about to destroy a literary classic; let me assure you that I wasn’t.” hahah – this totally has me cracking up! :o)

I fell in love with this wreath, so much, that I had to make one for a dear friend that lives to read. Your instructions were so easy to follow and the video helped sooo much. My wreath has gotten so many compliments and I have had alot of request to make more. I am so proud of the wreath and wanted to thank you for the incentive to make it. I also love all your other ideas and will probably try alot of them. Once again thank you.

I started my wreath late last night and finished this morning. I used gold and silver paint for the edges and a mixture of waves and rolls. For some of the filler, I rolled/scrunched, tore off about 1″-1.5″ off of the bottom, dabbed glue along the torn edge, then stuck it in where needed. I am considering adding a bit of sheer ribbon.

Also, I had bought my glue gun and glue several years ago at the Dollar Tree. So hopefully they still sell them for those of you who do not have them yet. They only cost one dollar but work so great!

Thanks so much for such a great tutorial! I just finished mine and I absolutely love it! I will be using it for my son’s 1st birthday party which has a book theme as he loves to read. Granted – even though I used a ‘tool’ (aka-pen), I still managed to burn my fingers a few dozen times…but that’s what homemade is all about! 🙂 Thanks so much!!

I actually saw this post last year and made a wreath for myself. Instead of books I used sheet music. It was a hard thing for me to do to use my old sheet music, because of the memories, but I love how it turned out!

I like where you are going with this, Peggy! You could cut out a silhouette of his body out of cardboard or something and blue the pages to the back of them. I’d love to see a photo if you come up with something cool!

WOW! It took me a long time to find your tutorial here. I saw your wreath on Pinterest, re-pinned to my board (or whatever it’s called) and then went looking for you & your tutorial. This is so great. I love making wreaths.

It has lasted so many years before it was officially out of air. In conclusion, hydroponic and organic hydroponic gardening allow it to be feasible to obtain much more pure and healthy environmental conditions. Stories open up an imaginary exciting and fantasy world to them which allows children to feel happy.

With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any methods to help reduce content from being ripped off? I’d definitely appreciate it.

[…] A WREATH: Can I say I have wanted to make one of these since I ran across Living With Lindsay’s tutorial a while back? It just looks so easy, though I’ll be the first to admit that my skills are […]

[…] Get beyond my standard vinegar and water with some new homemade cleaner recipes. Make this wreath for our soon-to-be gray bedroom. Make slipcovers for every single ugly piece of furniture in my […]

[…] you probably have very boring lives. I’m making a book wreath..not exactly like this one at Living with Lindsday but close. And I want to make something with sheet music. I really like the look of these eggs […]

[…] that I’ll be critical if that’s your taste; it’s just not mine). So I pulled up this tutorial I found on a design blog, Living With Lindsay. I found it months ago and finally broke down and bought a glue […]

[…] form of flattery. Well, I’d like to flatter two bloggers today: first is Lindsay, over at Living With Lindsay whose paper book wreath tutorial is awesome . I came across it a few months back and made one. […]

[…] help roll the paper. I first came across the how-to for this project at Living with Lindsay so click here for her great instructions. She even has a video. There are lots of variations, so I’ve […]

[…] 2. This sweet modern wreath is made from the pages of an old book, but I don’t see why you couldn’t just use newspaper or old wrapping paper for a more colorful look. Tutorial from Living with Lindsay. […]

[…] you’re into a black-and-white or literary theme (or an unusual gift idea), you can repurpose an old or ruined book into a wreath. See the post at Living With Lindsay, or watch a video tutorial at […]

[…] These type of wreaths are available for purchase at various eclectic and often sustainable retailers for upwards of $100 a pop. If you’re a DIY kind of person though, a great tutorial on how to make your own can be found here at Living With Lindsey. […]

[…] fingers in the process! I was warned… the actual idea, along with the warning came from the Living with Lindsay blog. Great idea, right? I just added a red bow to ours, to make it especially festive. I’ve […]

[…] and use the stem to make ornaments or this awesome table. Got a pile of books you can’t sell? Make a wreath! Turn an old dog food can into a drum or the beginnings of stilts. I even reuse pages from old desk […]

[…] but wasn’t fond of the white color or even the beveled / wire paper lantern look. I saw this tutorial of a wreathe made out of old book pages. I love it & although I knew that the bulky look of […]

[…] but overall it goes pretty quickly. I didn’t even take pictures along the way because this tutorial is way better than mine ever would be. There is even a neat little video with examples of rolling […]

[…] photobooth shot. Boo! Party Sources: Book fabric from Fabricworm Book wreath tutorial from Living with Lindsay Delicious and darling cake from Pink Peach Cakes Straws from The Sugar Diva Cookie Dough Cupcake […]

[…] maybe I should make something. I do like to be crafty, afterall. After finding this cute wreath online, the decision to go the crafty route was set in stone. This would be perfect for my gardening […]

[…] I made three wreaths that now hang in our dining room and I LOVE them. They’re created from things that I already had laying around: buttons, lima beans, and an extra copy of The Strong Willed Child. Sorry Dr. Dobson! I have to admit that I felt like a giddy five year old as I glued the lima beans on the wreath form. It felt like such a kid craft. But, I’m very happy with the finished product. You can find a tutorial to make your own lima bean wreath here, and a similar tutorial for a book wreath here. […]

[…] hanging my silhouettes, I needed something to balance them out. I remembered seeing this book wreath tutorial online. I also remembered that my really cute niece had made a really cute one herself, and I still […]

[…] This wreath is massive at about 36 inches wide. He sits right at the wall by our front door. I’m not going to do a tutorial since there are fifty eleven already on the internet. Here’s a bunch of book page wreath ideas and here’s a tutorial. […]

[…] planning on making and today I did finish one of them! I showed you this fantastic tutorial from Living with Lindsaywhere she turned an old book into a beautiful wall wreath.Well, mine didn’t turn out quite so […]

[…] was easier than I expected. I had narrowed the wreath choices down to two paper wreaths (one using book paper and one using sheet music). Z was floored when I showed him the sheet music wreath (probably […]

[…] Mulled Red Wine: If you are hosting or attending a holiday party, mulled red wine tends to be a big hit. Warm, soothing and a bit spicy it’s a drink sure to get anyone feeling festive. Get yourself a crock pot and some organic red wine and spices. (Photo and recipe at Epicurious.com) Recycled Newspaper Wreath: Approximately 1 billion trees worth of paper are thrown away every year in the U.S. (sob!) Do something about it and recycle some of your newspapers or magazines into a pretty wreath. If the finished look is too plain Jane for you, try accenting the paper with glitter or paint. (Photo and tutorial found on Living with Lindsey) […]

[…] remembered pinning a wreath made from pages of an old book and found instructions for it at Living with Lindsay. She includes a video tutorial and the project is so simple–roll up some paper and glue it […]

[…] book store will not accept all your books. Rather than toss them away, you could make a wonderful Book Wreath; all you need is the equivalent of one paperback novel, a foam wreath from the dollar store, a glue […]

[…] My sister and I decided to have craft night. She made a few homemade cards and I started making a paper wreath like the one I saw here: http://livingwithlindsay.com/2009/11/librarians-please-avert-your-eyes.html […]

[…] on the binding. It was really satisfying! 6. I made a book wreath this weekend too using this online tutorial. Yes, this does mean I destroyed two books (I chose The Great Gatsby and Dr. Zhivago). But, feel […]

[…] wreaths you can make out there. The one that interested me the most was the paper wreath found on Living With Lindsay. I purchase two books at a dollar store, a foam wreath at Michael’s and with a glue gun I […]

[…] basically made it the same way Megan made her ornament wreath. Here are some of the other links: book page wreath card table play house art binder chili spice mix lavender sachets bird mobile candy caddy […]

[…] there are already a lot tutorials on creating these beauties. You can find a great tutorial over here for one. The only difference I did was instead of rolling up the pages I waded up the pages from […]

[…] Below is pictures of my completed wreath (sorry for the fuzzy photos), I’m going to take more and re-post them later. I followed the tutorial on “Makely School for Girls” blog equipped with a video showing you different ways to roll the paper (see tutorial). […]

[…] 01. Decorative Wreath Made Out of Book Pages — I need this in my life. I think I would flip a lid if someone gifted me with this. Lindsay, the blogger who posted this wreath tutorial, spent $2 making this wreath compared to the $40-50 she saw it being sold for. Ah-mazing! […]

[…] to make, it just takes time and a willingness to get burned now and again with hot glue. I used this tutorial from makelyhome.com to learn to make mine (and yes, the name of the post amused me to no end). […]

[…] me….you/I love them! I love the way they look and I loved making this! I used the tutorial on Makely School for Girls. Lindsay did a great job on her tutorial, every step is covered (not like mine. i always forget to […]

[…] Here was my style circa 2009. The soft, neutral color palettes were all the rage. The world was transforming from Shabby Chic to vintage neutrals, and I went right along with the trend and even created the tutorial for the popular book wreath. […]

[…] by The Nester. When I first saw it on her blog, I knew I had to recreate it. Here’s a tutorial. After many hours and glue gun burns, you too can have this amazing wreath! I love it on our mantle […]

[…] by The Nester. When I first saw it on her blog, I knew I had to recreate it. Here’s a tutorial. After many hours and glue gun burns, you too can have this amazing wreath! I love it on our mantle […]

[…] Book Page Wreath: Fill up the blank space on your wall with a dramatic looking book page wreath. If you want to add some color to your design, use watercolors to paint the pages before adding them to the wreath. […]

[…] your walls. Wreaths made from old book pages are becoming increasingly popular across the internet. This tutorial will give you the basic directions on how to repurpose book pages into a paper wreath. Then check […]

[…] your walls. Wreaths made from old book pages are becoming increasingly popular across the internet. This tutorial will give you the basic directions on how to repurpose book pages into a paper wreath. Then check […]

[…] walls. Wreaths done from aged book pages are apropos increasingly renouned opposite a internet. This tutorial will give we a elementary directions on how to repurpose book pages into a paper wreath. Then check […]

[…] your walls. Wreaths made from old book pages are becoming increasingly popular across the internet. This tutorial will give you the basic directions on how to repurpose book pages into a paper wreath. Then check […]

[…] If you’re ready to tackle this project all you need is: – Styrofoam wreath in the size of your choice – Hot glue gun – Old catalog or horrible book – Small piece of ribbon, depending how you would like to hang it Best part is, you’ll have most of these items on hand already! The tutorial I used (which is really great) can be found here: Book Wreath Tutorial: Librarians, Please Avert Your Eyes […]

About Makely

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Jack and Duke). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.